Lasers, such as vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSEL), Fabry-Perot (FP) lasers and distributed feedback (DFB) lasers, can have wide variations in their performance. An optical assembly, such as an optical transmitter or an optical transceiver, may require that the laser be tuned by setting the direct-current (DC) bias and alternating-current (AC). Characteristics of the lasers that may vary include the laser threshold current (Ith), slope efficiency, wavelength and over-temperature behavior. The variations in these characteristics may require a different biasing current depending on the desired response of the assembly.